The month has come to and end, so it’s time to look at my progress for the month.
Weight
My average weight for January 2009 is 216.5 lbs, or 7.3 lbs lower than last month. My progress during the month has been mixed. On 1/1/09 I weighed 215.0 lbs. On 1/31/09, I weighed the exact same 215.0 lbs. There was a fair amount of fluctuation in between those dates. The highest weight was 221.4 lbs, and the lowest was 211.6 lbs.
Bicycling
I rode 277.8 miles for the month. I need to ride 417 per month to meet my goal, so I’ve only achieved 67% of what I intended too. I drove 678 miles for the month. I intend to drive only 292 miles per month, so I did poorly there also.
The weather has not been kind to me this month. We had bitter cold, ice and snow, then an ice storm that really derailled my cycling. Hopefully February has better weather.
I’m beginning to re-think my idea to become car-free at some point. I still want the bicycle miles, but the bad weather we’ve had this month has made me wonder if I’m cut out for a car-free life.
Food
My diet is fluctuating as usual. I have a number of good days in a row, then I overdo it. Obviously this pattern works for me, as I have continued to lose weight.
I have been changing my diet up a bit. I’m trying to continue to eat healthy, but spend less money. One of my other goals is to pay off my debt, and that will be slightly easier if I spend less money on everything, including food.
I’ve been spending more time cooking, instead of using the microwave. Overall, this is a good thing, and maybe I’ll actually learn a bit about cooking. I’ve also become a big fan of beans. They are high-fiber and high-protein.
Exercise
I have done very little exercise other than cycling, and cleaning up debris from the ice storm. My dumbbells have been sitting in a corner unused. My push-up plan has been all but forgotten. I need to start doing these things again.
One new exercise I’ve begun doing, and need to do more often is hiking. This is an activity my dogs and I enjoy together.
I wouldn’t give up on the idea of going car free just yet. It’s a long process to get from car dependent, where the idea of going without a car is so foreign it’s never even *occurred* to you, to living totally without a car. I myself have been dreaming of becoming car free someday, but I’m still completely dependent on motor vehicles when the weather turns too bad (ice, snow, etc., something you’re familiar with yourself). I’ve been on the path to car free for about 8 months now, myself, and while I’m still not there yet I can see that I’ll probably make it. My goal is to be completely car free by May 2010 when I graduate from university, so that wherever I go after that I will no longer be tied to a motor vehicle. I even sold my car late last year, but that was a bit premature. I ride _just about_ everywhere on my bike, but I still wuss out when the roads get really icy. Then I have to borrow a car from my parents.
For next winter (I’m not prepared for this level of commitment yet, but I will be by this time next year I think) I’ll own either a pair of Nokian studded bike tires to get around on the ice, or a recumbent trike. Probably the studded tires, as they’re much less expensive, but I’m hoping to get around all winter without a car. Just to prove to myself (and my parents, who think I’ve completely lost it), that I can do it.
What I’m saying is, you can do it too man. You’re well on your way to being car free already, it just takes time. Sometimes years, but that’s okay. I’d say you’re even further along than me, if total bike miles is to be used as a measure. But above all, just have fun. Enjoy the ride.
Tailwinds.